


Elements of Death

by FelicisMagic18873



Series: The-Girl-Who-Lived [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: A little bit of angst, Action/Adventure, Cinnamon Roll Peter Parker, Death is a vague little shit, Dimension Travel, F/M, Family Feels, Female Harry Potter, Gen, George Weasley is a good friend, Harry Needs a Hug, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Master of Death (In a way), Stan Lee Cameo, Tony Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-04-04 05:22:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14013096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelicisMagic18873/pseuds/FelicisMagic18873
Summary: After the war, it seemed all was well. But it didn't last. It wasn't really a surprise when Death came to claim her. It was just not the way she'd expected. Now, fighting in another war in a far away realm might be the only way to go forward. There are superheroes, evil masterminds, and underground secret services but all she really wants is to feel warm again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

* * *

_Breathe._

_Just breathe. Keep going._

In and out, In and out.

Green eyes moved swiftly over the walls of the room. They seemed closer than the last time she looked at them. 

 _Breathe_.

But what if she couldn't? 

Harley closed her eyes and finally, when darkness started covering the edge of her vision, took in a deep breath. And immediately regretted it. The sharp pain in her chest from holding in her breath was much preferred to the agony of breathing. 

 _Breathe_.

She felt tingling all the way up her arms and resolutely ignored it. At least it wasn't burning. Harley put a shaky hand on the floor, and with a grunt pushed herself up. Because that's what she did. After the pain, the hurt, is done shoving her to the ground she gets up again. Even if she didn't want to. Even if it was better staying down.  
The room appeared to spin for a second before settling. The lights seemed to hurt her eyes. 

  
She wanted to open her mouth and complain, grumble in frustration but words didn't form. It happened sometimes. Words escaped her some days, some moments.   
So she played music instead. She supported herself by putting a hand on the table and picked up her-not hers, theirs- wand. Her hands shook, every moment hurt. A wave of her wand and music was flowing around her.

 _Its happening more often_ , a soft voice whispered in her mind.

She knew, knew that it was. Because it was getting harder and harder to hide. And hiding it was a must, just because she accepted it didn't mean others did. Another wave. A jacket came soaring into her hand. She put her arms through it and inhaled the smoky scent that lingered in it even though Sirius had stopped smoking years ago. It made the cold a bit more bearable. But what do you do when the cold is within?

  
She took another breath, relaxing when the pain was not as consuming. Soon her breathing became normal and she got back to work, even if the trembling made it almost impossible to do so. Her notes were messed up but she went on.

  
She pulled up her hair and tied it.  She had been in the process of tying it when she fell. And when it felt like she could move without stumbling, she started moving around her workstation in a motion akin to dancing. 

Cutting, grinding and dicing. 

Ingredients covered her gloves as she put them in, praying every time that it didn't cause a blast. Hermione would kill her if she blew up the basement again.  
Moments like that were when she felt alive. The blood pumping in her veins warmed up her cold insides and she held on to the warmth with all she had. Slowly but surely color flowed back to her cheeks. 

When the final ingredient, Xanthun gum, was added Harley stepped back and cast a stabilizing spell on the potion. Immediately, the potion became clear and two small masses appeared inside.

A small strainer was used to pick out the stones and her lips tilted into something resembling a smile because that was the first time they had held together out of the potion. She then carefully wrapped her fingers around one of them. It crumbled before she could pick it up.

She sighed with disappointment. Another failure.

"Goddammit," The comment was softly whispered to herself. She wanted to hit the table. Pain wasn't the answer, she repeated the sentence again and again in her mind until the urge to break stuff went away.

She summoned the ever-filled water bottle, sending a little thanks to Molly in her head, and took a tentative sip. She closed her eyes expecting the familiar sharp needle like feeling in her throat. Drinking water, even room temperature, could hurt like a bludger when your body feels frozen. The water, thankfully, went down smoothly.  After the first sip, she gulped the water down so fast that she thought she might drown. 

  
Feeling the quiet leave her, she forced the thoughts in her mind to form on her lips., "The stabilizer should have worked." 

She vanished the potion, "Stupid brittle stones." She suppressed the part of her that didn't want her to talk. Instead, she complained," I added the stabilizer but noooo why would it work. It's not like I've spent over a year on this!" Her raspy voice became lost in the music but it was better than the silence.  She finally felt like she could talk. She picked up the in her hand and threw it towards the rubbish basket.

  
"Harley Potter!!" The amplified voice rose above the sound of music.

  
Harley cursed as she missed the basket and the so-called 'stone' fell on the ground. 

Hermione, Harley thought with a sigh. 

The music cut off. Harley took a moment to change her gloves, she climbed the stairs and opened the door. 

  
"Harley Potter, Merlin help me I-"She heard Hermione's voice, worry coating it like it often did nowadays. She took a step forward and the door slammed on her face.

  
"Son of a Banshee!" Harley cursed loudly and in frustration kicked the door. She rubbed a hand on her nose and came face to face with her worried best friend who had stepped back to dodge the door.

  
Hermione released a breath and looked over her black haired friend who was rubbing her rapidly reddening nose.

  
"I swear I am going to burn down this door to the ground! It keeps slamming in my face! And I am almost sure it does it on purpo-"  Harley almost started her rant again but Hermione strode up to her and cupped her face in her warm hands, 

  
"Harley, What were you doing down there all alone? And you warded the door! You should have told me, I would have stayed there with you!" 

  
Harley almost leaned into Hermione's warm hands that felt lovely against her cold cheeks before her words registered in her mind. Harley wanted to scream and shout. I am not a child! Stop treating me like a fragile doll!  But the words got stuck in the back of her throat. 

Hermione was her best friend, she reminded herself. So she gave her what was meant to be a smile but probably came out more like a grimace, "Calm down 'Mione," she pushed the hands away gently, " I am fine. Promise. You panic too much." She looked away from her best friends eyes, hoping that she'd let it go.

  
It must be one of those days because Hermione just looked at her with tired eyes. Harley pushed down a feeling of guilt, Hermione had recently joined DMLE and being a muggle born in a pro-pure-blood ministry, even though things had gotten better after the war, couldn't be easy. She probably didn't want to have this conversation as much Harley. 

  
"Harley," and then she repeated the words Harley could probably recite in her sleep by now, " You need to be more careful. It's not just rash, it's dangerous as well. You never know what may happen."

  
"I think I know about what could happen. Honestly, Hermione, you act like I'll drop dead any moment." Harley blew a stray strand of hair away from her face and halfheartedly rolled her eyes.  


That, Harley soon realized was a bad idea because Hermione's eyes narrowed and that was a bad sign. Hermione stepped forward and pointed a finger at her, Harley's eyes followed the finger before getting locked on Hermione's reddening face.

  
"Well, you should know better, Harley. Locking the door even though you know the danger! Would it hurt to just mention that you're going to the basement? I don't ask for much, just a note or even a Patronus is fine. And maybe I wouldn't worry so much if you were-" Her mouth snapped shut and she closed her eyes in regret. 

  
Harley took a step back, the raw hurt on her face disappearing before brown eyes could open again. The cold seemed to wrap around her heart again. 

  
 Hermione took a deep breath and probably opened her mouth to apologize, she had crossed a line she hadn't toed for a long time but Harley just forced on a smile and shook her head.

"Normal? Is that what you were going to say? You wouldn't have to worry if I was normal?"

  
Normal. Normal was a word that haunted Harley all her childhood and continued to do so. Harley knew what Hermione thought  about her, as she called it,  'condition' but it was a topic they rarely, if ever, touched.

  
She looked away from Hermione because she knew that her friend could read her eyes. Hermione usually saw the sadness that resided there. But sometimes Harley hoped Hermione could see the acceptance too.

  
"Harley, I-" Hermione struggled a bit at what to say, "I-I am sorry, I did not mean that. You're right, sometimes I worry too much and my reflex was to..." She sighed, " I apologize...you just have a special condition."

  
'Special', well that was one way to put it, Harley thought, casting away the small hurt that still surfaced at the fact that after running away from the label all her life she still got stuck with 'abnormal'.Honestly, it was not the label that bothered her but the fact that her friend was the one that put it on her. If only Hermione just accepted- Harley pushed away the thought with some effort. 

  
Hermione was looking at her with that sad look on her face and Harley just hated that fact that she was the reason it was there. Loathed it even. So she just put on a smile and decided to lighten the mood. "It's fine. Even I know your friend is not normal. It comes with the label, 'Mione." 

  
Hermione scrunched her nose at the 'horrendous nickname' as she called it but leaned forward to kiss her cheek, deciding to take the olive branch for what it was. "Well, I don't care. You are the best" 

  
Harley looked at Hermione and the corners of her lips raise up in an amused smile, "And  _you_  are covered in octopus powder."

  
"Agh, disgusting." Hermione made a face looking at the purple powder that has transferred from Harley onto her. She flicked her wrist and her wand appears in her hand " _Tergeo_ "  With that Hermione rubbed her arms to feel that the smelly powder had indeed disappeared."What exactly were you doing with that? And how on earth did you get it, I thought it was only available in summer imports?"

  
Harley grinned before walking towards the kitchen, Hermione followed her out of habit.  She could feel the small curling of warm at the thought of her sword-wielding-companion turned Herbology teacher who had sent her a package full of rare materials.

  
"Neville." She said as the answer to the second question, pointedly ignoring the first one."Soooo, what exactly were you screaming for?" She inquired, trying to change the topic. "Please don't tell me Ron got stuck in the dryer again" She made a face at the apples in the basket. After drinking hundreds of diluted apple flavored love potions to develop immunity to them-George's idea- she lost any taste she had had for them.

  
"No" Hermione chuckled, thankfully deciding to let go of the unanswered question. She pulled a chair towards her and sat by the kitchen counter putting her hands on her lap.  
"Good, I don't think I can handle that again", Harley's eyes shone with mirth as she remembered her friend's initial introduction to muggle electronics. It had taken both of them, an oil spell and lots of pushing and pulling to get Ron out of the dryer.

  
"Nothing as disastrous...but Ron and I have to leave now," Hermione said casually, though she probably wasn't as relaxed as she was sounding. "Are you sure you don't want to come after all?" She tried once again. 

  
Harley wondered why Hermione even tried anymore when the answer never changed. She tried each time and it never worked.

  
Harley tsk-ed, putting her empty glass in the sink, "I am sure. I have told you before, I don't feel like going and as much as I love them, I would like some time without all the emotional torture." She patted Hermione's shoulder and turned towards the fridge, "I'm going to be fine. Don't worry. I'll have company."

  
Harley had her back turned on Hermione, but she swore she could almost feel her friend stiffen.

Another Taboo topic.

"Everything is ready to go." Ron declared entering the kitchen, Harley could almost kiss him for the interruption. Almost. Because gross, he was like her brother. "You still not comin', mate? We both know how much you love mum's treacle tart. You sure you wanna miss it? " He asked teasingly bumping their shoulders before turning around to hug her.

  
Harley nodded. "I'll survive, Ron." She returned the hug with a smile. There was something about the Weasley men that always makes her feel loved and protected.  Well Weasley men except for Percy, she never felt as comfortable around him even if he had loosened up after the war.

  
"George will probably come over like he does every time to avoid the get-together. Are you sure you will be fine?" Hermione asked absentmindedly, running her wand over her shirt to get out the invisible creases.

  
Harley's smile became strained, "Yes ma'am, I am sure I will be fine. I'll be in the house and It's not like I'll be alone."  Sensing the impending argument, Ron latched his hand around Hermione's elbow.

  
"Come on Hermione. She'll be fine, she is not a baby you know." He winked at Harley before dragging his protesting wife to floo to the Burrow.  
Harry took a bite out of the sandwich she had taken out of the fridge and stood in the Kitchen until she heard the familiar whoosh of the fireplace, then she went back to the basement. 

* * *

 

Hermione Granger-Weasley found herself in quite a fix at the Weasley gathering.  Her fingers clenched around her spoon, wishing it was a wand instead. She absently wondered whether she would lose her job if she were to, hypothetically, of course, curse a nosy in-law to the inch of her life.  Her mind ran over several loopholes that might allow her to go scot-free. Maybe if she-

  
"So is the girl still living with your son and his wife?" The said in-law's nasally voice sounded way too loud in the suddenly quiet room. Aunt Muriel's face curled up in dislike, " I don't know why you deal with this Molly when she didn't even bother to come here. Probably thought this was too beneath her. Fame's ruined her, I tell ya."

  
Hermione saw with wonder as red color steadily crept into Molly's cheeks and she seemed to be burning with anger. Deciding to intervene before any actual cursing took place, Hermione clenched her teeth and forcefully smiled, "As a matter of fact. We live with her, Aunt Muriel. She is kind enough to allow us to intrude her private space until our house is completed."

Aunt Muriel looked like she had swallowed a lemon, she reached for her spoon and ate another spoonful of the cake Molly had made. She must have thought of a reply as a nasty smile appeared on her face. Hermione suddenly wanted to knock out her crooked teeth,  "Oh really, then I must ask how is that house coming out for you dear. I mean, it has been what, four years since its construction started?"

  
"It's coming well aunt," Ron interrupted, " We are actually expecting to move out soon."

His casual announcement caused the table to erupt into a series of congrats and inquiries.  Hermione glared at him halfheartedly, knowing that he did it on purpose. He knew this would make it more difficult for her to refuse, that clever bastard. She answered a few of the questions before finding an opportunity to slip away.   
Standing by one of the windows, she took a bite from the pumpkin pasty she had swiped from the table. Rain splattered against the window, masking the Burrow with its blurriness.

It is raining. Why did it always rain when these gatherings happened? 

"Wotcher Hermione" The voice startled Hermione and she dropped her pastie as she jerked toward the voice. 

"George? What are you doing here?!" She looked at him, checking him over as was her habit nowadays. She took in the filled cheeks, the flush to his cheeks that suggested he needed some liquid courage to get ready to come here. She wasn't surprised, after the first few gatherings he had chosen not to come to this. She couldn't help but notice that he looks better than he had in months, years even.

Her cheeked burn realizing how rude she was being, "I mean it's good to see you." She tried to sound sincere even if their relationship had strained over the years with arguments.

George scoffed plopping on the couch next to her, he put his feet on the table. They both knew Molly would most likely kill him if she saw it. 

  
"We both know that isn't true, but well...we just came. Angelina thought it would do me some good to come to the gatherings. Steps of healing and all that hogwash." He gave a small fond smile and Hermione was a little startled to see that it looked happy and open instead of hollow, as was common after the war.

"That's good. Congratulation...about the engagement I mean"

  
"Thanks." and with those words, the conversation died again. It took some time before any of them spoke again.

Hermione could hardly remember the last time she talked with George without heated words and angry sighs. There was a time when their victory was together but now it felt like she lost whenever he won.

She could still hear the splattering of rain outside, a beautiful earthy smell filled her senses. Her eyes followed a rain drop's path on the window. 

"She is not a child you know."

Her brows furrowed as she looked at him, they both knew who he was talking about. And they were both aware that their ideas on how to deal with what was going on diverged a long time ago.

Hermione picked at a loose thread on the couch, she had hoped they could avoid this thing this time. "I know tha-" 

"So stop treating her like one." He looked straight at her, looking until she was forced to look away.

"I am just...She needs me, George.I am doing what's right for her."

He looked at her with eyes filled with sympathy, " I know but did you ever think that maybe, you're not doing right by her. It took her a long time to come out of her cage, and all you're doing is forcing her back in" He stood up and walked away leaving her behind to deal with her thoughts.

  
Of course, she was doing the right thing, Hermione told herself. She spent all her time keeping Harley in a safe environment, trying to find a cure and to minimize the symptoms of Harley's condition. Unlike him, who spent his time finding ways to take her away from the safety of their home.

She was right. Wasn't she?

* * *

"Ron, I don't feel so well." Ron tuned out Ginny's recounting of one of her matched to look down at his wife. She was cuddled in his side, head resting on his shoulder.  
She looked fine but he knew better. "Okay.It's getting late anyway." She had held up longer than he thought she would.

  
Hemione pulled away from him, fiddling her fingers as she looked down. He knew that look. She was feeling guilty again. It was an expression he had seen too many times over the years.

He got up from the couch and made a round around the room, saying goodbye and giving last hugs. All that time he could see his wife slowly but steadily get more tensed. 

"Come on." He held out his hand and they both walked to the apparition point. 

  
"Ron, I-"

"I know." He brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed her hand. "I know."

There was something wrong. 

That was the first thing that Hermione thought as they walked inside the house. It was quiet. Too quiet. Usually, Harley had some sort of music on, she didn't like the quiet when they were gone.

She felt a cold feeling crawling up her spine. She clenched her fists and tried to reassure herself, "Harley must be sleep. It is past-what was that?"

  
They both stilled and strained their ears. Hermione's eyes widened when she heard another cry shatter the silence of the night, louder and more piercing. "Harry," she whispered, looking around frantically .

Blood.

There was blood on the carpet.

The world fell away and the only thing she could think was, Harley's had another episode.

Ron was already running to the basement. He banged his fist hard on the door. "Harles! Harles Open up! Bloody hell," he dug in his pockets for his wand, finding it just as Hermione blasted the door. 

They burst inside, going down the stairs three at a time and at the bottom, Ron immediately stilled. Hermione peered over his shoulder and blanched.

  
There in the dark with was Harley, sitting with her back to the wall. Her whimpers broke the trance and a sob escaped her throat as Hermione slowly walked towards her.  
"Harley?" She called out softly. Kneeling next to her, Hermione touched her face.

  
Thick red blood tricked down Harley's face as she mumbled.

  
"Christopher Matthew, 20. Software engineer. 15:10, car accident. Sarah Hopper, 7.Cancer."

  
Harley reached up and tried to wipe away her tears with her gloved hand. It only served to spread the blood all over her cheeks.  
Taking a deep breath in, Hermione grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her violently. "Harry! Snap out of it!" It had been a long time since they had to deal with an episode as violent as this. There were usually several signs before an episode this extreme.

  
Harley must have been hiding them, Hermione's eyes widened with realization but she pushed down the thought, all the mattered right now was Harley.

  
"Jackson Brice.Disintegration." Hermione pulled her friend's hand from where she was scratching her face, Harley's hand looked death pale in hers. 

Hermione stumbled back as Harley's eyes snapped open. Golden light filled the room as their eyes met. Golden,  beautiful and deadly eyes bore down to her very core and Hermione felt the need to give her self away. 

  
With a  loud crash, all the glass vials shattered, splattering potion ingredients everywhere. The golden color disappeared into the familiar jade and for a second everything seemed alright. Then Harley fainted.

She didn't wake for a week.

* * *

From the day he met her at the train, George Weasley was fascinated with Harley potter's eyes. They reminded him of the sparks their fireworks emitted for the first time when they lit them in Ron's room, of the grass stains that his mother scolded about and of the first green saplings that broke out of the ground after a harsh winter. He liked how he could make them spark with happiness with a silly joke or a prank

  
But he also hated her eyes. He hated how they would not let him lie. He hated when they filled up with tears, not for her but for him. He hated how the world had taken away their light. He hated how her eyes would not let him pretend that everything was alright, that she was okay.  

  
He hated her eyes. Her eyes that were still green, but no longer the bright, sparkling emerald he had been fascinated with.Her eyes that had seen too much. He reached over her sleeping form and kissed her forehead.

"Get well, darling. Angelina is still counting on that movie night."

  
George Weasley hated Harley Potters eyes, yet he did everything he could to make them shine with happiness, even for a short while. He couldn't help but love those faded jade eyes because they belonged to the person who saved him from the war and from himself.

* * *

Slender fingers trembled and a drop of sweat fell on the wooden table Harley was working on. She bit her lip as she tipped a vial containing a dark red liquid into the beaker. The final ingredient, her blood.

  
The liquid in her cauldron sizzled before several small rocks appeared on the surface.

One breath.

Two.

"Yes!" She exclaimed when the stones held together after she picked them up from the dish she had deposited them on.

  
"That looks awful."

Harley jumped back, cussing "What the Hell! What in the Merlin's name are you doing here? You tryina kill me?" She saw black hair from the corner of her eye.

"Not Hela." 

Harley nodded her head solemnly without turning back, " Ah, Of course, Thantos. How could I dare mistake you for another? It's not like you change forms in a blink of an eye. "

  
The boy leaned over her, looking over her shoulder. He ignored her declaration in light of his own curiosity, "This again? Aren't you tired of it already?"

  
"Nope.Its gonna work this time."  She insisted, putting the stone back into the dish. She took some of the residue of the potion and carried it over to the microscope.

  
Thanatos crooked his head to the side, "It has your blood in it." His nose scrunched in a way Harley would call adorable if he wouldn't maim her for it. 

Harley scoffed, " Won't matter. You'd be surprised what people are willing to do for a few extra hours and this is talking about years." She thought back to Voldemort and Nicolas Flamel, one who distorted his soul beyond recognition and other whose life depended upon a piece of rock. Both of them tried to avoid death but in the end, death always claims those that belong to it. She knows this better than most. 

  
Harley visibly shook off her morbid thoughts.

She wrote down her observations about the size of the particles along with the adjustment she'd made this time, adding the blood later on, in the recipe which allowed the more solid product. Who could have known that she would take to potions, or rather messing with potions, the way she had. Though inheriting the few remaining books of one half-blooded Potions master, the rest of which had been deliberately burned by the said master, played a large role in it.

  
Minerva had given them to her instead of putting them in the Room of Requirement, it was apparently a tradition to put teachers remaining stuff in Hogwarts storage if no one claimed it. She wondered what Snape would have thought of her research now. Probably something vicious.

"No I really won't be." Her attention turned back to Thanatos as he shrugged. "Death. Remember. And what I meant was, how did you counter the toxicity? "  His eyes followed the stokes of Harley's thin hand on the paper, the other hand held one of the stones

  
"I haven't yet, I was thinking..."She thought for a while and put down the stone she had been writing about, "I can make some sort of separate neutralizer to be taken after the healing stones have been ingested and-" The hand picking through the rocks stopped, "Quiet. It's so quiet." She stilled, the cold tendril around her heart tightened. During the day she could usually hear the footsteps of her two best friends moving about.

  
This silence just felt condemning. 

  
"I-I.." She put down the strainer, " I forget sometimes." Deep breath, "Put on the music will you, Than?"

  
A song started emitting from the air around them. Harley looked at Thanatos and smiled. Golden eyes twinkled at her as the black haired boy bobbed his head to the beat. Regardless of how her life had changed because of this, she couldn't ask for a better companion for the rest of eternity.

  
She still couldn't believe how things had changed. 

"I see you have a party going on." A voice said loudly over the music.

She leaned over the table to pick up her wand, and with a wave, the music stopped."Georgie!" She walked towards him with quick strides grinning when he picked her up and twirled her around. She moved her gloved hands up and down his arms once he put her down, looking him over. "What are you doing here handsome?" 

  
George gave a roguish smile, "Bitsy-Boo, Do I need a reason to visit my favorite business partner? "

  
Harley's shoulders shook as she laughed, " That is almost worse than Ronikins, George!" She hit him on the chest softly. " Plus I am your _only_ business partner." A soft breath of relief escaped her lips as warmed spread into her body.

  
"Eh, technicalities. You're still my favorite, Cutie pie." He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

  
Harley thought her cheeks would hurt later with how wide she was smiling. Being with George, she felt thirteen again. A little girl with a bruised heart full of love to give.   
"Okay. Okay. I get it. Come on, I think I had a chair here somewhere." She looked around puzzled.

  
Potion vials were laying on the ground, a few plates of leftover food were cluttered over the tables. She flushed a bit before banishing them away, she had spent more time downstairs than upstairs over the last few months. 

  
"The chair ran away remember? The potion reaction." Thanatos quipped from the table he was sitting on.

  
Harley reached out a hand and ruffled her hair, "Wha- Oh right. Thanks, Thana-" She stopped, looking at George. She sighed, "Thanatos, Would you mind?"  Thanatos shrugged before disappearing.

  
George took a deep breath, "Its okay, Harley Darlin'. I accepted him as a part of you long ago."

  
Harley smiled, a sad edge creeping into it. "Then you're one of the only ones." She picked up a coffee bean and transfigured it into a bean bag.

   
"Come here." George flopped on the bean bag and pulled her into his lap. 

Harley stiffened before allowing herself to relax. She put her head on his shoulder, snuggling into his arms; she felt the silence and cold completely leave her, it was rare but she held on to the moments she did get.T hey stayed in that position until George's side fell asleep and he adjusted Harley to his other side.

  
"Thanks, Georgie." The whisper was so soft, he wasn't sure she even meant it for him to hear. 

  
"What for? If you're talking about the cuddles, I must say I'm enjoying myself quite a lot. Angelina isn't really one for cuddling."  Harley smiled a little. That was George, always giving her a way out of hard spots.

"No, George." She pushed her self up, looking deep into his eyes. It was as if she were pushing him to face the truth. He could never stand against her eyes. "Thank you for coming here. For being here with me, even after what I-what I did." She looked away ashamed.

"Look at me, Harley." The use of her name shocked her enough to look at him. "I've been rooting for you to do that for so long. Honestly, I think you made Ronnie love you even more the day you forced them to go."

  
"I-I....No George listen I-" George place a finger on her lips, "No honey-kins you listen. Hermione had been putting off them moving out for over a year. You gave them the push they needed. And it was necessary for them and you."

  
Harley looked as if she was trying to convince herself the truth of his words, "Yeah I guess."  
"What happened, Harles?"

Harley knew that those three words were not a demand. No. Never a demand. Only an option. A shoulder to cry on if she needs. An ear to listen, if she talks.  And today, after so long, she decided to talk.

"They..." She took a deep breath, " You remember the last get together before I told them to-." She waited for him to nod. "They came back to one of my...episodes." She looked at his face to gauge his reaction. The small shock was replaced by concern before he moved his hand up and down her arm. As if trying to assure himself that she was alright. He nodded his head, urging her to continue. 

  
"It was one of the bad ones, Deaths passing by, dates and names that I don't even recall anymore." She picked on a stray thread on his sweater, " But Hermione. Hermione touched my hand. Ungloved." 

  
A small gasp escaped George's lips as understanding dawned on him, "Do you-Are you okay?"

  
"Yeah." The corner of Harley's lips tilted up, she blinked away the moisture gathering in her eyes. "It wasn't-It wasn't anything bad, George."

  
George's eyes implored hers for answers, asking but never pushing.

"Old age." George released the breath he was holding. 

Harley stood up from his lap, she ran a hand through her hair. Holding on to a section as she tried to get the words out,  "When I woke up, she was there as usual. And I just couldn't- I couldn't do that to her George, I won't do that to us. I won't take that away from her."

  
George stood up as well, "Your such a gloom-monger, Sweetcakes. You'll be a part of it. Not take it away."

Harley raised tear-filled eyes, "She was surrounded by her children." She released her hair, causing some of them to stick up. Harley could see that George still didn't understand, " It was just a possibility, remember? I saw so many. So many of them with old age. But there were possibilities where she ends up with only me by her bedside.I can't do-I won't-"

George's eyebrows furrowed, "What are you- It doesn't have to be one or the other"

"She considers me her responsibility. Until she is sure I am 'better', She won't allow herself to live much less have kids!"

George ran his fingers through his hair, "Hermione's a multitasker, Harley. Maybe in a year or two, she'll relax and-" But even he knew he was lying to himself.

  
"Just like she relaxed these past 4 years? She won't relax, she doesn't know how. Her first words, before shouting at me, were that that next time she'll just find an excuse not to go to the gathering. She was even considering quitting her job! She's wasting her life, trying to correct something that isn't even wrong." An angry tear managed to escape her eyes to land on her cheek.

George hearing the shuddering of her voice, turned her around and caressed her cheek wiping the tear away, he pulled her close to her chest. And they stood there a long time,  him whispering words of strength and Harley trying to believe them. Two broken people against a reality that was as true as the blood running through their veins.

After George left, she spent a long time sitting on the couch by the chair. She stared into the fire, wishing the warmth around her heart stayed forever, even if she knew it couldn't. 

Harley wondered whether they could have known. The three children camping in the woods, trying to fight a monster that wanted to snuff out the light that was in them. Could they have known that the little story they heard will end up being their salvation as well as, in a way, their destroyer. 

Xenophilius Lovegood had told the trio the much-known story of the Deathly Hollows but it was more. Oh, it was so much more than a just a story.

A long time ago when those with magic and those without it lived together, a legend was told. It froze the hearts with fear and caused eyes to dart about. The legend of three brothers and their payments. 

  
It was whispered from ear to ear and told to children at night. As the time passed by it transformed from a cautionary truth to a fairy tale. Its whispers traveled to far away lands and soon several elements were changed. Its translations were made by several people, the most famous was Beetle the Bard.

"And the one to combine them shall be known as Master of death"

  
The tale was loved and feared and while the tale stayed same the wording changed. The change in a single line had turned the life of a jade eyed girl upside down.

  
"And the one to combine them shall be known as Compeer of Death and Death shall claim them as its own."

And as Harley stood wrapped in Georges' arms, she wondered once more if this was a gift or a curse. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so first of all it is my first time writing MOD!Harry. I am pretty excited to write this story. I must say I'm a student so its hard to take time to write. If you like it, I would be glad to hear your thoughts in the reviews. And in the end, English is not my first language so If you find any mistakes please inform me so that I may correct them.  
> Thank you for reading.  
> -Marey


	2. Chapter 2

There was a time, before she realized how different she was, before she was considered a recluse, that Harley potter had been _happy_. Actually happy. You could see it in her very smile. The fading of shadows under and in her eyes showed her recovery from the traumatic experience that was the war.

The war had taken its toll on her. Some parts of her were hardened that would never be soft again. And parts of her were broken due to her prompt trip to the in between. But she was willing to try, she was willing to pick up every little piece and glue them back together. If _reparo_ wouldn't work, she would use the love of her friends to hold those pieces together.

  
That was before.

Before her episodes.

Before she held out her arms for her godson, only for him to shriek and cry with fear until she stumbled out of the Tonk's house. She never wanted to see him look at her like that again. To see his beautiful amber eyes, Remus's eyes, filled with endless terror made her feel lower than dirt.

Animals can feel death, they say. Apparently so can werewolves.

'He can just feel where you've been.Its no big deal, He'll get over it.'

Empty words.

He never did.

  
Her godson. The child she had sworn to protect and care for, couldn't even bear to look at her let alone be near her.

  
Maybe that's what started it all. The fake smiles, the  'I am alright'. The self-induced seclusion. The depression which seemed like a blanket around her, keeping her in her own world but keeping the rest of the world out as well. She pretended it was okay (it wasn't). But they saw past it. Her friends, her chosen family. Her Hermione saw through it and made it her mission to pull her back from the depth of the depression. She became overprotective, putting her friend's life before hers.

  
Needless to say, after months of struggle, when death visited her she was not surprised. Death due to a broken heart, how fitting. Hence she greeted it, as cheesy as it may be, as a friend.

  
And it, or rather they did come to claim her. Just not in the way she thought it, they, would. 

  
Rather than claim her for the world after, it claimed her as a compeer.

A partner, a stabilizer, one part of a whole.

One year. It took a whole year to stop running away from what she was. For her to look in the mirror and accept the fact that death was a part of her. It took another four for her to stand up to her, now unthinkingly overprotective, best friend and shout at her that she needed to accept it too. She needed to leave Harley alone because there was no cure for this. There couldn't be because it was not some disease. It was what it was.

Even if she still didn't completely understand what it really entitled. 

  
"Far away realms, strange powers, princes and villains. Come on, It'll be fun plus it will stabilize the realms."

  
Death who had taken on the form on Yael today, a toddler with bright red curls, grinned. The wide smile almost took her breath away. Who knew that an all-powerful entity could manage to look so pure and innocent. Then again, she thought, there is only truth in death. It is life that deceives people.

  
"No Thank you, Yael. I'm done playing savior." Yael tilted his head in inquiry, even though they had both known her answer already." Magical world was a far away realm for me, I do have strange powers and I've had enough dealing with Princes and Villians to last me a lifetime. Been there, done that. Over it." 

  
Yael moved his dangling legs to and fro, gripping the edge of the table to keep himself steady.

"Won't you even ask me what's wrong with the eqiui-equi-balance of the realms." He grinned.

  
Harley pointed her stirrer towards him, "Don't even bother, I know you have no problem with words. I have seen you in the form of an infant remember? Stop trying to look cute," Yael widened his eyes batting his eyes at her innocently, Harley huffed. "Fine, you're very cute. Now stop." A second passed, " Okay. Fine. What?"

  
Yael pulled one of his curls studying it intently, " Death is all about balance. But the balance is hanging on a thread. Its all messed up and if it's not corrected, let's say it won't be pleasant.It's just that-Agh. There is this one realm where mortals just barge into Death's realm like its a park or something and bring the dead back. We even have a Cerberus there still-" 

  
"Fluffy?" Harley cheekily said from where she was bottling her burn ointment, never know when you need some good burn ointment. 

  
Yael scoffed, a sound decidedly weird coming from a toddler. "Cerberus is a perfectly able guardian, it's only your realm that has turned him into a tamed puppy that calms by music. He is a magnificent animal!" Harley nodded her head in agreement seriously but a slight tilt of her lips showed her amusement, she knew how overprotective Death was about his realms.

  
"Anyways," He continued sounding agitated." There is another where people are alive that shouldn't be and an insane man keeps claiming to be in love with death. There is one where people just refuse to die. They keep popping up again. Still, don't know how that works. It's all wibbly wobbly stuff!

  
"Then _you_ can fix it."

  
Yael huffed, "Death can't focus on only one plane. The realm would cease to exist. Overload."

  
"And that made you think I need to be the one to go? The _need_ part, I'm still skeptical about." She raised an eyebrow, trying to take off a charm from her earring without taking off her eyes from Yael.

"Yep!" He popped out the 'p'. His rosy lips pulled up into a smile which disappeared the next second.

  
"I am sorry, Yael. You're asking me to leave my home, my family, my realm. I just- I can't. Especially since I have nothing to do with all of this. You have your reapers, you can ask them." She turned away with a smile of triumph as the charm finally came loose. 

  
There was silence. 

Harley felt a feeling of unease climb up her spine but ignored it and pulled out the elder wand to cast the engorgement charm. The magic flowed out of her wand, curling around her and the charm. She scrunched her nose as the sparks tickled it. 

  
Golden eyes seemed to burn a hole in her back. " You said you accepted your role." It was said softly but the accusation was loud and clear. The soft innocence of the child seemed to be suppressed by the power pouring out of him. It didn't feel like just Yael anymore. 

  
Harley turned around slowly, taking care not to make any sudden moves, " I did. I meant it." But she couldn't do this, get sucked into a battle that was never hers to begin-  
Hard eyes looked into hers and Harley found herself fixated at her spot. The vial slipped from her hand, shattering across the floor.

  
A scream lodged in her throat as the ever-present ice around her heart suddenly spread, sending waves of pain through her. Her knees gave out. She sank to the ground with a grunt, arms wrapped around her chest.

  
She felt like she could never be warm again. 

 _Breathe,_ She told herself. But she couldn't.  
 _Stop, Please. Make it stop_! She screamed, but the words wouldn't leave her mouth.

  
She heard the soft sound of Yael's shoes as he jumped down from the table. A soft chubby hand rested on her cheek. The ice retreated as fast as it had spread, going back to its dormant state.  

Harley couldn't breathe, a sob escaped her lips and a tear slipped from her eye only to fall on the hand that was placed on her cheek.

"Oh Harley," Soft warm lips touched her forehead, "Do you desire to know why? Why all of this is happening? Why you need to go?"

  
He didn't wait for her answer. Which was good because she didn't trust herself to speak yet.  

 "You need to go because you're losing yourself. One denial at a time." He stopped for a second, probably to make sure she was listening. She was. Even if the words didn't make any sense. "The ice inside your veins. The 'episodes' as you call them, are not supposed to happen. They are unnatural. I've tried to suppress them but there is only so much I can do."

  
"H-H-How sto-" She couldn't even form the whole word.  She just hoped he understood. All she wanted, needed, was for this to stop. For everything to stop.

  
"The imbalance has everything to do with you." He continued as if he hadn't heard her, "You're a part of Death. Everything that affects Death affects you. You accepted your part," The next words seemed to echo in the suddenly quiet basement, "learn to accept responsibilities that come with it before its too late and there is nothing of you left but a shell." And with that, she was left alone. Aching, hurting and confused. 

  
Her eyes locked on the bean bag lying about two feet away from her. With a push and a grunt, Harley fell onto the bean bag glad that she never got around to changing it back.   
The wand in her laying on the floor seemed to be mocking her. 

  
Accepting the title but not the responsibility. Sounds like every relationship in her life, doesn't it.

In the end, she knew the choice was hers. But she was done pretending that it could be different than his when they were one. A part of a whole was she not?

 

* * *

 

The various posters covering the walls begged for her attention but Harley refused to look at them. She kept her eyes fixed on his face, committing every feature into her memory. The soft brown eyes, the freckles that seemed different each time she saw him, the barely visible scar next to his eye due to a misfired spell. He seemed to be doing the same with her, taking her in slowly.

  
"When?"

  
Harley tried to read his face, for the first time not being able to tell what he was thinking,"In three weeks, he told me I have a month to sort everything out. Geor-" 

  
"It's okay." He breathed out, he ran a hand through his hair. She could see how much it took him to say those words.  Then he took another deep breath.

"Maybe it's a good thing," His eyes shifted from her face, staring at a bright blue poster for 'Thor'S Thunder Cracker!'

  
Harley absently wondered if he was trying to convince her or himself. 

"You can't spend the rest of your life in a basement, of course. I always did say you need to travel more, I mean I didn't mean travel realms but well you don't do anything halfway do you" A chuckle  that just sounded false to her ears, escaped him " You'll be fine, you're a fighter and He will take care of you won't he and-" 

  
"George." She took a step closer and put her hand on his cheek guiding his eyes back towards her. She caressed his cheek with her thumb,"Don't. Please. Don't pull this act with me, it never worked when I did it and it won't work when you do it."

He visibly deflated in front of her eyes, his shoulders stooping. The false energy he was projecting disappeared. 

Harley took a deep breath before speaking again, "Talk to me. You've always listened. Let me be the one for once." 

Silence enveloped them for a short while.

"It scares me, Harry bear. It fuckin scares me so much. I jus- Do you need- Is this what you want?" His eyes implored hers in anxiety, trying to find answers in the tired jades looking back at him.

  
"Yeah, I do. I didn't realize how much I needed it. I Just- I am so cold George. All the time. " George's eyebrows furrowed, she'd never mentioned this before. "For over four years, I've felt like this. Like a chill is set deep into my bones and it just never stops. And I just feel so empty that it scares me. Its a bit better when I'm working or when- when I am with you, when I am happy"

   
A hand covered her own on his cheek. " And this, this will make you happy? Fighting in a war again?"

  
"It's not a war George, I-I don't know what it is exactly. All I know is I am just-I am so done.  I am desperate. I just want to try and live again. I want the cold to leave me."  
She was enveloped into two lanky long arms, Harley rested her head on one of her closest friend's chest and listened to his heartbeat. Who knows when, or if, she'll get this chance again.

  
"Then you go, Honeybuns. You go out there, you kick asses and you live. And one day, when you're okay If you can and want to, you come back to me. Okay?"

  
Harley nuzzled his chest, " You always know just what to say to me. I think..." She thought for a while, his heartbeat repeating in her head" I think I am gonna be okay, if not happy. Out there I won't need to pretend. I can be what I want, Just Harry. Not the recluse, or the savior that abandoned people after the war. Just Harry. I'll think about myself for once." Harley looked up and met his eyes.

  
A watery laugh was her answer, brown eyes glossy with tears looked at her with so much love that she was forced to look away. "Thank Merlin, I don't know how much longer we could take your self-sacrificing tendencies." A soft chuckle escaped Harley's throat. A hand came to rest on her head, " But just so you know, that's what you've always been to me. Just Harry. The scrawny kid I helped with her trunk the first day of school."

  
"I know," Harley put a hand on his chest, right where she could feel it beating wildly under her hand. " I know."

* * *

Harley's pale hand hovered over the bell, knowing that they would have known she was here the moment she passed the wards but at the same time not finding the courage to take the last step. 

She had put off this visit as long as possible, the very last week, but she knew that if she didn't do it today she won't be able to bring herself to do it later, and she didn't have much time. It had taken every last shred of her courage to even apparate here. But leaving without goodbye was not something she was willing to do. Ron and Hermione deserved better.

  
She took a deep breath and pressed the button. The door opened before she even took her finger off the button.

   
Hermione looks good, was the first thought that came to her. She felt a wave of guilt and relief hit her at the same time. Because this was the proof, the proof that the years Hermione had lived with her had done her no good. She did the right thing by ordering them to move out and forcing them to shift to their new home. But the relief was much more overwhelming because this showed that they would be alright. They would be alright when she's gone.

  
Harley snapped out of her thoughts, blinking rapidly. She noticed that Hermione had been doing the same thing as her, looking at her silently.  
Hermione stepped forward and Harley closed her eyes instinctively, expecting the slap that was sure to come. She felt the air leave her lungs as she was pulled into a tight hug instead.

  
"You're late. Idiot. We've been expecting you. You're five months late, Harley."

  
Harley pushed away her surprise, wrapping her arms around her stupidly forgiving friend. "Emotion range of teaspoon remember?" She blinked away the stubborn tears that tried to fill her eyes.

She shouldn't have expected anything less. In the past 4 years, she had forgotten how easy it was to be with Hermione, easy as breathing.

  
Hermione laughed and pulled away with a reluctance that even Harley could feel. She supposed it was difficult to let go of instincts honed over the years.  
Harley walked into the house with Hermione's hand resting over her lower back guiding her inside. 

  
She took a good look around. It was....perfect. The house looked like a mix of both Hermione and Ron. Cozy and full of books, she suppressed a grin.

  
"Hey mate." Ron smiled at her from the armchair he was sitting in. Warm filled her insides. It felt like coming home.

 

* * *

 

"-Ron painted it red without asking but I thought aqua looked much more calming so I changed it and even _Danny's rules for redecoration_ said that-", Harley and Ron exchanged a looked over their hot chocolate cups as Hermione talked about the process of moving and Ron's honestly awful taste in decoration.

  
A soft light seemed to fill Hermione's eyes as she hugged the cushion to her chest. Harley couldn't help but think that Hermione was literally glowing with happiness.

"Mione bear, " Hermione stopped her rant to glare balefully at her husband for butchering her name. Only Harley could get away with that. Ron grinned back unrepentant, " you wanted to tell Harley something. Yes?"

Inquiring eyes met hers as Hermione's cheeks flushed red, from anger or embarrassment  Harley couldn't tell.

  
"Hermione?" She asked softly.

Hermione's next words would echo in her mind for a long time.

"We are expecting a baby. "  The world seemed to be waiting, everything seemed still.

  
"You're expec-", Harley couldn't complete her sentence. She tried again, " You're expecting a baby." She said with breathless surprise. 

"Yes." was the simple answer but Ron's grin showed how happy he was.

A baby.

Hermione's and Ron's child. The child of her best friends. A child she would never get the chance to see. The thought hit her like a ton of bricks.

Another child whose life she would have no part in.

"Of course, you'll be his or her godmother," Ron said it so easily like it was some fact of nature. He said it as if she had already not failed at being a godmother once. 

"I-I can't", She shook her head automatically.

  
Hermione rose up from her chair and proceeded to kneel in front of Harley where she was sitting on the ground.

  
"Of course you can, Harley.", she reached out and grabbed Harley's gloved hands, ignoring the flinch it induced. " It took me a long time but I- Harles, your powers are as much of a part of you as magic is a part of all of us. And sometimes, well most of the time, power comes with its own complications and demands. I understand now and I am so sorry for everything. Please, say yes. Who better to take care of our child than you. You who would even fight death for them if needed." 

  
Harley pulled back her hands from her friend's grip. She raised a hand to wipe away tears from her cheeks, tears that she'd not even known were escaping her eyes.

"That's not why, Hermione. That's not-I can't be anyone's godmother. Not again. Not even if I wanted to."

  
Hermione was still smiling softly as if she could still resolve whatever was making Harley refuse. But Harley knew that this was an argument that Hermione wouldn't win. Ron just looked at them, waiting for the two of the most important people in his life to resolve their problem.

  
"And why is that? If it's because of Ted-" Hermione started with a soft tone, like speaking softly will take away the pain that Harley still felt at the thought of Teddy.

  
"No, it's not because of him. I-I can't do it because I won't-I won't be here, Hermione." Even Ron could see how much it took Harley to say those words. The room suddenly felt colder. Harley could almost see the transition as Hemione's shoulders stiffened and the smile disappeared from her face.

Ron sat up straighter, his confused blue eyes meeting hers " Won't be here? Whaddya mean, Harley?"

  
Harley took a deep breath, " There is something wrong with me. "

"There is nothing wrong with you, Harley." Hermione interjected, looking ready to defend her friend from her own remark.

Harley put a hand on Hermione's, stopping her. "Listen." was all that she said but it had the desired effect. 

Hermione's shoulders dropped and she nodded her head. Ron rose up from where he was leaning next to the armchair and came to sit on her other side. 

He reached out and grabbed her other hand in his, "Go on, we're listening mate."

The crackling of the fire behind them, the soft way Ron was looking at her, the gentle touch of Hermione's fingers made nostalgia grip her mind. They had spent many hours like this, sitting in the common room.

"At the end of that year.I-Well-You see-," She didn't have to explain which year. Harley took a deep breath gathering her thoughts, trying to find words to explain. Hermione put her other hand on top of Harley's, her face encouraging. "I-I didn't want to go on anymore." There was a sharp intake of breath as the implication of that sunk into her friends' mind, their grips on her hands tightened but they didn't say anything knowing that she needed to get it all out now.

  
"Then one day, " She continued, " I didn't have to anymore."  Her mouth felt dry, she had never wanted them to know this but they had to, in order to understand. "I went to sleep, hoping I wouldn't wake up in the morning. I didn't. I was back _there_. The station." She could almost see it in front of her eyes again, the pure yet ominous station that went on and on. 

  
She looked down at her lap, not wanting to see her friends' reactions, "I met Him there, Death. He told me who-what I am and after a long time I accepted the title. I thought the Hallows chose me. He said he had marked me since I was born. I was theirs."

  
Harley remembered how lost she was, how she just looked at him with empty eyes when she realized what it actually meant, or what she thought it had meant.

  
"I am the link between life and Death," She finally said, the words feeling like ash on her tongue "It's in my very nature to maintain the balance. I've been doing it since I was born."  

And wasn't that a hard reality check. To know that she had essentially been doing her 'job' since before she could even speak. Fate could be a complete bitch sometimes.

  
There was silence. Harley refused to look up, to see the pain that was there or maybe she just feared rejection as unlikely as it was.

"Voldemort," She explained even though no one asked her, " He-He was the imbalance of this world. I-I got rid of him and my job here finished the day he took his last breath. After that I-I knew something was wrong, I felt it in my very bones. I didn't belong anymore. I suppressed that part of me. That was a mistake."

  
She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, "It turned against me. My powers, My very n-nature. It's taking away all that is me and leaving behind quiet, emptiness and cold. Some days I feel almost normal and h-happy and on others, I have to fight with myself to get out of bed. I can't stay here any longer, I need to go to the realm that needs me or there'll be nothing left of me." 

  
One breath.

  
Two.

Harley slowly raised her eyes and felt her heart break a little. Rons' hand covered his face, his shoulders shaking a bit. Hermione had tear streaks down her cheeks, her one hand covered her mouth as she looked down lost in thought. 

"It's my fault isn't it. " 

  
Harley sucked in a breath at that broken remark. Before she could say anything, Hermione continued, "I kept pushing you to reject it. Kept telling you it was hurting you so we should suppress it. George was right. All this time I thought I was helping you and all I was doing was making it worse."

   
"No.Don't you dare do this." Harley's voice had enough of a steel edge that Hermione's eyes snapped to meet hers. " The only reason this is happening is because I was too much of a cloud head to see what was evident right in front of me. To understand the message my soul was screaming so loud that Yael could hear it every time he came. Its not your fault, I just..." She slowed down a bit once she saw the shadow of guilt lessen in Hermione's eyes. " I just have to go. Its no one's fault." 

  
With a gentle pull, she was pulled into Ron's arms, " Don't go." was all he said even though she could tell he didn't mean it.

  
"I have to, you know I have to." She hugged him back, only moving a bit to allow Hermione to join the hug. It took a long time before anyone said anything. Harley could tell both of them were trying to come to terms with the fact that she would be leaving. 

  
Hermione was the first one to pull away, "You'll still be our child's godmother,'" she declared, raising a finger to stop the words of refusal she could almost see forming on her friend's lips. "even the thought of it being someone else seems wrong." Her voice though firm still wavered a bit at the end, as if she could barely keep from crying.

"Then name no one," Harley insisted, snuggling a bit into Ron's side as his arm was still wrapped around her shoulder. " I remember how it was Hermione. Knowing that I had had a godfather and he was never there for me. Even if I now know why I still remember how much it hurt the first time I found out. I'd never do that to anyone, guys. Especially a kid of yours." And just like that Harley knew she had convinced them. 

  
And if the three childhood friends sat cuddled on the ground for a long time and many more tears were spilled, well there was no one there to judge them.

 

* * *

 

Her goodbye to Molly and Arthur was the simplest but no less heartbreaking. Molly actually had no idea about her and death, or anything at all really. She just thought that Harley suffered from PTSD and that depression was her main problem. 

  
So the story given to her was much easier, a need to find herself, to get away and that she may or may not return. There were a lot of tears but in the end, she was sent away with a huge basket of cookies and a hug that made her heart feel a lot more lighter with a warmth that lasted for a long while. 

  
The rest of the Weasley, Neville, Luna and her Professors at Hogwarts got a letter detailing the same story that was given to Molly. Although from the smile that Luna gave her when she came to visit, told her that Luna knew much more than she let on which probably meant that Neville knew too.

  
So that took Harley to the last goodbye. 

"I am leaving." The words left her lips with a sort of tiredness that came from repeating the same words over and over again.

  
"Ah, I assumed something like this might happen. Molly was right then? You're leaving for good." Andromeda said as she raised the teacup to her lips. Harley couldn't say she was shocked that Andromeda already knew. The women knew everything, like a true Black she kept knowledge of all happenings around her. 

  
"Yes. I leave tomorrow." Harley ruffled her hair while feeling the disproving gaze of Andromeda at the action. Apparently even having a daughter like Tonks did not remove the training that was grilled into Andromeda at a young age.

Andromeda indicated with her hand to continue. This was the goodbye that was the easiest but at the same time the one that left her feeling the most bitter.

  
She and Andromeda weren't close, barely acquaintances even. What hurt the most was the fact that they could have gotten so much closer if it weren't for Teddy's reaction to her and her almost nonexistence in his life because of that. 'What ifs' in relation to Teddy had been the main contributing factors to her depression.

  
"The Black inheritance goes to Teddy as decided before, " She waited for Andromeda to nod with approval, taking care of a child alone was difficult and without Harley's help they would've been in trouble long ago " He can choose whether or not he wants to accept the title at 17. I have named you as his regent. The artifacts in the main vaults were given to Draco according to your wishes to cleanse the vaults."

  
Draco Malfoy had done more than enough to cleanse his family name over the last five years as his father rotted in Azkaban, he even got back in contact with Andromeda. In fact, he ran the whole system of Magical Orphanages that he and Harley started together.  
"What about the Potter vaults. What are your plans for them?"

  
Oh, even the name of her vaults made her feel tired. The last few weeks had been completely exhausting for Harley. Setting up everything to run smoothly as she left forever was not easy, especially as goblins, the vindictive bastards, tried to make as much money off of her as possible.

  
Harley yawned, rubbing her eyes. " Quarter of the money I left for the orphanages," Andromeda opened her mouth to interrupt. " In a special vault from which money can only be withdrawn for the orphanages by Draco." She said to pacify the women's paranoia. " It's enough for them for fifty years or so even more if donations continue. Some I am gifting to Weasleys, I have merged one of the vaults with the Black vaults for Teddy. The rest of them and the artifacts, I am taking with me. I think it might be a long trip."  
Andromeda hmm'd in approval and they both went back to drinking their tea, the almost awkward silence hanging between them. 

  
Before it was time to go, Harley spoke up hesitantly " May I see him. Just for a second, I promise." She added the last part to reassure both of them.

  
Andromeda's gaze sharpened and her lip curled a bit. She opened her mouth to say something, then stopped and looked at Harley for a while.

"Fine." The word was said firmly. Harley supposed she agreed because she knew that this was the last time Harley came there. She couldn't really blame Andromeda, she too would have done anything to protect her Godson.

  
His room looked exactly like what room of a happy and healthy six years old's room ought to look like.

  
It was like a symbol of everything she couldn't be a part of and it pierced her heart just looking at it but she forced herself to go forward.

He was sleeping. Her sweet, beloved Godson was sleeping. Beloved, because she could never tear away the love that she felt for the child from her heart even if he hated her.  
She walked close to his bed and a shaky but fond smile lit up her face as she looked at him. He was cuddling with a grey wolf plushy.  She reached out a hand and almost touched his light brown locks, a whine broke from his lips making her flinch.

Harley stepped back instinctively before quickly leaning down and planting a kiss on his head.

"Be brave, Teddy. Always remember how loved you are. Goodbye, Cub." Her words seemed to be echoed by ones her own mother had whispered to her so many years ago. In his sleep, when his mother's talent wasn't active, her godson looked just like her professor turned mentor, Remus Lupin. Harley just looked at him for a second.

  
She then walked out of the room and quickly out of the house with some mumbled parting words to Andromeda. It was so easy to forget how scared he was of her. So scared that even in his sleep he had felt the danger lurking inside her.

  
Harley apparated with a soft crack that was inaudible to humans.

Now, She could leave.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who sent kudos, commented and followed this story! I don't know what to say except thank you!  
> There are references scattered throughout the story, i wonder how many of you picked on them.  
> I would love to hear where you see this story going and what you think about my idea of Teddy's reaction to MOD!Harry, it is truly heartbreaking to think and write about.  
> If you decide to use my idea, please credit me and tell me because I'd love to read your story. I'm sorry for such a late update but I hope you like it.  
> -Marey  
> Edited:21/09/18


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last two chapters were recently edited. If you're curious, I suggest re-reading em.  
> Much Love. Muaaah.

There was this theory that Hermione came with when she decided to catch up with her muggle studies, real muggle studies, not the joke taught at Hogwarts, and it kept circling in Harley's head as she sat on the couch in the basement as Yael prepared for her journey. 

 

In her theory, Hermione had argued that for basic human activities ATP was consumed, so logically there must be something that was consumed when magic was used. It was a modification of the old concept about Dark arts that it tore away your soul one spell at a time. 

 

Turn out all magic consumed energy, but it since wizards had a high metabolic rate and literally absorbed energy from their surrounding, the energy was easily recovered and left almost no traces behind. The only time it showed was during 'magical depletion' which occurred when the 'core' i.e energy reserves were close to empty due to the large consumption of energy without any recovery time.

 

As for the Dark arts, only the darkest rituals and spells damaged the soul. The rest just made a person apathetic, it was fueled by their emotions and soon they ran out of all but malignant emotions. Every ritual required a sacrifice, it may be something small like a happy memory (the Patronus), the life of an innocent or anything in between. 

 

Keeping all of this in mind, Harley had been sure that jumping realms would take a lot of energy and maybe a sacrifice. She was almost sure that it was not a dark ritual but you never really know with death. 

 

She had spent the whole month anxious about the sacrifice, wondering if it would be something dear to her. A thousand possibilities had raced through her mind. She had imagined a big portal opening up and tearing down the Potter Manor. Hell, she had even wondered if she needed to walk through the veil of Death or something but apparently, she only needed to sleep. Her leaving her old life was enough of a sacrifice.

 

Harley breathed out in relief and felt like laughing when Yael was done explaining even though it was probably very very improper.

 

"So," She drawled, "Why do I have to be asleep exactly."

 

"Something like that isn't meant for human eyes. You're not ready for it."

 

Harley looked around her workplace, the empty room seemed creepy somehow. She missed the 'yet' whispered by Yael. 

 

"Though if you want. We can do it with you awake and see how long you'll take to recover from a disintegrated brain.", Yael chirped happily as he laughed at Harley's disgusted face.

 

"I think I'll stick with sleeping.", She stated, putting on her gloves and laying on the bed. "Here we go then." She closed her eyes and in her mind said goodbye to her world one last time. The last thing she saw was the stars and galaxies swirling under her closed eyes.

 

Darkness.

 

Darkness surrounded her. And cold. Oh, it was so cold. 

 

Harley felt it seep into her very bones. She couldn't even shiver. She tried to open her eyes, knowing it was a bad idea, but they seemed weighed down. A sharp tug on her heart was her warning, she ceased the attempt at once.

 

She knew she was asleep but it was not reassuring. Something kept pushing at her, like thousands of hands were applying force on every part of her body. Even the blanket of sleep couldn't keep all of the force locked out.

 

Death's Realm existed everywhere and nowhere at the same time and she was not strong enough to bear witness to it, not yet.

 

Her entry into the other world was anti-climatic, one second she was trying to focus on something other than the cold and then, her eyes opened. Light flooded into her vision momentarily blinding her.  Harley blinked a few times, trying to blink away the stinging in her eyes. They felt dry and painful.

 

She licked her parched lips and said the first thing that came into her mind, "Newyork?" then the words registered, "I am in New York. I am in New York. What the h-what am I doing in New York?" 

 

A scream got stuck in her throat as she almost slipped from the crane she was standing on, on top of a skyscraper!

 

"Yael!" She stiffened up her body, trying to prevent any movement that might risk her balance. "This is not funny!" 

 

"It's kinda funny." 

 

Harley almost jumped as the golden-eyed boy appeared in front of her face.

 

"Get me down." She tried to sound stern, but it came out more like a request.

 

Yael grinned and in the next blink, she was standing with him on the roof of the very same skyscraper but relatively safer. "Look." He whispered. 

 

She did. 

 

"Beautiful."

 

Then she blinked. Looked at him. Looked back at the view. Was that-

 

Yael looked at the building that had caught her eye. Then he pulled at a strand of her hair and smiled with too many teeth when she slowly turned her head towards him.

 

She took a deep breath, put her palm on her forehead and tiredly asked, "Please tell me that I haven't lost my mind and there actually _is_ a guy in a red suit climbing that tower like a monkey."

 

"Spider." 

 

"What?"

 

"Climbing like a spider. He's Spiderman."

 

Harley stared at him. He stared back. She looked back at the building, "My bad. Of course, he is."

 

Yael cackled. 

* * *

 

 

Harley had done many difficult things in life. Things that brought her to the edge of patience and pushed her to the verge of insanity. Finding a habitable flat in Newyork, on Yael's insistence, turned out to be one of these things.

 

The search for a clean flat became even more difficult with her resolve of not using mind magic. She refused to use any compulsion charms to get her task done, it reminded her too much of the time she did use them and none of them were pleasant. Plus, it left her feeling disgusting for a long time. So yeah, it took her quite some time and in the end she just happen to stumble on the flat by accident. 

 

She and another girl, a blonde haired blue eyed beauty, was looking at the same apartment and the girl was trying to make small talk. Harley, on the other hand, was busy blanching in horror at the kitchen bathroom mixture. It was only when the girl ranted about how she'd seen a 'pretty sweet' apartment but it had a disastrous mold problem that Harley paid attention.

 

She didn't waste any time wrangling the details of the apartment out of the blonde despite her insistence that is was a tragedy in making. The next part was fairly easy, she approached the owner of the building and was shown the aforementioned flat. The mold was everywhere, she didn't expect it to be that horrible. The mold along with the unpleasant scent of rotten wood was almost unbearable but she was desperate. The owner, Stan, had once tried to form a sky garden. Needless to say, it only resulted in two ruined apartments one of which she was getting.

 

It turned out the flats were actually off-the-grid to speak because the health department made it clear he could not rent them without fixing them. He tried to but it didn't work as intended so he was selling it off-record, this proved to be very fortuitous for Harley because she didn't have the necessary papers to rent such a place in the first place.

 

And that is what resulted in the present scene of Harley trying to clean her apartment without falling into memories of cleaning another grim house a long time ago.

 

"Scourgify." Harley let out a tired sigh as the mold from the ceiling of the kitchen disappeared after three tries. "Two done three to go." Running a hand through her hair, she grimaced at the greasy feel of them. She really needed to take a shower. But to take a shower you needed a clean bathroom, which she did not have. 

 

She had been working for 5 hours straight. Doing all of this alone was much more difficult than she anticipated. At the same time, she was horrified at how much longer it would've taken without her magic. It never would have cleaned properly. So what if she had to work on every single wall stripping away the mold with multiple cleaning spells and then casting the impervius charm to make sure it didn't happen again. It was all worth it in the end.

 

Walking back into the living room Harley grinned to herself tiredly, Stan would be pissed to find out she was able to deal with the 'fukin moss prob' as he called it, after all, he had sold it to her for half the price.

 

Harley absently braided the font of her hair and decided to take some time off for the sake of her sanity. She sat on the couch with a thud, sneezing when dust rose from it. Right, she still hadn't cleaned it.

 

She contemplated for a second whether or not she should get up from the dirty couch before deciding she didn't care, she was going to have to take a shower to get rid of the dirt and various plant fluids anyways.

  
The apartment was slowly but surely changing into something resembling a real living place. A she could grow to care for and love. Still, she held back those thoughts, she wasn't sure how much time she had here. 

 

A quick glance showed that her new phone was laying on the wooden side table, the only piece of decent furniture that had come with the apartment along with the relatively okay sofa. She reached out and grabbed it. Her nimble fingers moved over the glowing screen, trying to become comfortable with the way it worked.

 

She smiled at the photo the shop assistant had set as her display. It was a picture of her and the assistant, Betty Brant smiling brightly at the camera. Betty was quite shocked to realize that Harley knew little to nothing about mobile phones but it was easy to explain with 'conservative parents' and 'home schooled' which was the story she was going with.

 

Adjusting to this new world was proving to be...hard to say the least. Not only she was in freakin _New York_ , but she wasn't even in her own _time_! This world was 14 years ahead of hers so it was 2017 instead of 2003. Surprisingly, this was not the thing that shocked her the most. Oh no, that honor went to the technology of this world.

 

The cars, the security, the telephones everything was so very different. And even though she had not been very involved in the muggle world, she refused to believe that all this development took place in a period of only 14 years. There _had_ to be another cause.

 

"There is no magical community here." Thanatos appeared in front of her surrounded by blue flames as if he had heard her thoughts. Maybe he had. You never knew with him.

  
"Yeah, I gathered that." Harley merely replied dryly, she had long ago stopped being scared by his popping up. "And you couldn't have told me that when I spend a whole week trying to find traces of magic?" 

 

Thanatos threw his shoulders back and grinned cheekily. "But Harleeeeeey, I can't hand you all the answers. It wouldn't do for you to become lazy would it?"

 

Harley couldn't help but grin back, "Says the boy, who makes others do his work."

 

The smile disappeared from his face as Thanatos glared at her, crossing his arms. "I am doing my job just fine. I closed the doors to the underworld and now only I know where they are. No more people walking out after death. Its Hela's incompetence that messed with this world!" He threw his hands up on the last sentence before crossing them again.

 

Harley flung her phone to the side and pulled up her feet sitting cross-legged on the couch. She put a hand under her chin and thought whether or not she should say anything.

 

She really didn't want to get into the issues that came with being a part of death, even after so many years she never knew why sometimes Death referred to himself as 'I' when at others it talked of its parts as separate entities. She hadn't been a part of death long enough to encounter such issues. But still, she was curious.

 

"And what does Hela's 'incompetence' have to do with this? You mention her a lot but I've never met her.", she asked carefully.

 

For a second, Thanatos looked at her with golden eyes that did not seem to belong in the face of a boy then he waved a hand, " It doesn't matter, right now. Sooo," He sat down next to her, " What did you find out?" 

 

Harley turned to face him and thought for a while, " Well it is evident there is no magic in this world, though I did detect some passive magic somewhere near Mexico." She looked at him to confirm her findings, he nodded his head encouragingly. "The technology is way beyond what we had. Does it have anything to do with the fact that there is no magic."

 

Thantos looked almost proud, " You made that connection?"

 

"Always the tone of surprise." Harley shot back before a familiar scene passed before her eyes,

 

_Hermione, gazing up at Ron with her arms still around his neck._

  
_"Always the tone of surprise"_

 

She pushed it away with a shake of her head, " So what is the deal with all of this" She signaled vaguely expecting him to understand.

 

"Its the balance at work, Harley." He declared with a proud smile,"In your world technology was suppressed because wizards made it so. They worked hard to make sure nothing could be created that they did not have a counter against. In this world, well there were no wizards to stop the 'muggles' as you call them. So they flourished. "

 

Harley's face fell. Wizards made it so that muggles could not progress? What utter bullshit! and she declared it as so, " How can they-Why-this isn't fair!"

 

Thanatos tilted his head with curiosity, "You're angry that your world found a way to escape potentially deadly detection?"

 

" No-I-Agh!" Harley stood up ruffling her hair, trying to find a way to say what she meant." I just don't think its right to push someone down just to make sure you get to the top!" 

 

"Oh, Harley." Thanatos laughed at her offended look, "What if they did not have the strength to climb in the first place?" He looked like he was enjoying their little discussion.

 

Harley felt like a kitty under observation, she tried to control her indignation. "But they did have the strength. Look at this world, what more evidence do you need?"

 

Thanatos patted the place next to him, Harley huffed but complied.

 

"They did not. Interruption is rude Harley." He chided seeing her open her mouth to say something, Harley blushed." Magic was the main power of that world. So it found a way to flourish. Technology is the main power of this world but it would not have been able to reach the heights it has without the involvement of many families that never existed in your world in the first place. In the end, its always meant to be like this. Who are we to judge. "

 

Harley thought for a while before nodding her head. It made sense, to be honest. She stood up once more. Seeing his questioning eyes she answered, " I fixed up the kitchen before this. I'm going to make some hot chocolate, for both of us." She added with a roll of her eyes at his wide-eyed expression. 

  
She was about to step into the kitchen before she turned and pointed her wand at the couch, _"Abluo_ " A beam of pink light left her wand and covered the couch before sinking into it. 

 

Thanatos sighed with happiness and snuggled into the newly cleaned and fluffed couch with a smile.

 

Harley shook her head with a smile and walked into the kitchen. She took out the cocoa powder and added some of it in half n half before heating it up with her magic, the stove wasn't in working condition yet. She put a handful of marshmallows in Thanatos's cup and a few in hers. Even though she knew in the back of her head that he wasn't really ten years old, sometimes she couldn't help but spoil him. Plus, she knew he did not mind.

 

"So," she started speaking once they were both settled back into their places." this new universe. I must say it's kind of boring. " 

 

"Boring?" Thanatos raised an eyebrow looking absolutely adorable.

 

"Yeah. When you, or rather Yael, said that there was 'imbalance' in this world I was expecting I don't know explosions and tons of Horcruxes and stuff. So far, the only abnormality I have found is this 'Superhero' stuff. Is that the imbalance then? Cause honestly so far you have told me nothing except that fact that this is Hela's fault."

 

"Maybe you just haven't looked deep enough?" Thanatos suggested with a lazy grin. " And what's the fun in-"

 

"Handing me all the answers. I know." Harley interrupted with a roll of her eyes, "Okay at least tell me are these 'Super Heroes' the real deal?  Like the heroes in Dudley's comics and stuff? I mean there were no such people in my world."

 

Thanatos teasingly pulled a strand of her hair, "Of course there were," at her inquiring look he continued, " _You_ happened to be one of them. "

 

Harley felt her cheeks heating up and she shoved the laughing boy away from her, "Ha Ha. Very clever, Than."

 

"Its the truth." The boy declared seriously, " Anyways, you need to figure all this stuff out before its too late."

 

"Too late? What do you me-" Thanatos vanished with a flash, "Figures." Harley grumbled rubbing her eyes. 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya you beautiful people! Thank you so much for the Kudos and the comments. I am glad you're enjoying the story. I suggested rereading the previous chapters because I happened to edit them to make the flow a bit better. If you liked the chapter please review.  
> -Marey  
> P.s: Come scream with me in the comments about Injustice done to Loki! Unbelievable!


	4. Announcement

**Hello, once again my lovelies! First and foremost, let me make this clear. I have no plans to discontinue this story or any of my other stories any time soon. Now that the panic is over. Let's get on with the announcement.**

**Now, I am sure I have mentioned many times that I am a student, a pre-med student to be more accurate. My exams are just a month and a half away after which I will be preparing for practicals and MDCAT. Keeping that in mind, updates for my stories will become less and less frequent, at least until my exams and practicals are done. This doesn't mean that the stories will be abandoned. I will try to update at least one of my stories every 2 weeks (I hope so) but that is the best I can do. You can vote for the story you want to be updated through your comments on the said story.**

**I hope that you guys understand and support me in my decision. Now last but not least, thank you so much for all the love you've given this story and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Feel free to shout at me in the comments.**

**-Marey**


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